Classic Milwaukee Events

Doors Open Milwaukee is every September. This is a terrific event where hundreds of museums, historic places, and other destinations "open their doors" to the public in ways they don't the rest of the year. You can
visit the highest point in Milwaukee at the U.S. Bank building, go in the dome at the Central Library, and visit Jones Island. I usually either just remember to look it up in September or see signs around the city as it gets closer, but I also get emails from the Historic Milwaukee email list. Historic Milwaukee also does walking tours of the city. I've not yet been, but a friend used to work for them.

One of my favorite events in Milwaukee is the annual Food and Froth Fest at the Public Museum. You must be 21+ to enter, and you can sample tons of local brews, wines, and delicious snacks (including Joey Buona's heavenly chocolate cake and Maders' brats).
This event supports the museum... while we're here, memberships are cheap and on museum swap day, you can check out many other great local museums.

Milwaukee After Dark is a fabulous montly event at the art museum. Highlights often include dancing, crafts, and touring the museum. Highly recommended.

Downtown Dining Week is typically the first week in June, and lets you visit many of the more expensive restaurants at a cheaper price.

Fabulous Destinations

The Milwaukee Public Library does free tours on Saturdays at 1:30 PM. In the Spring/Summer, they also do tours of their green roof (it's nice, though not as large as Rockwell Automation's!).
They also have tours of their rare books room, and plenty of other events. (While on the subject of rare books, did you know the Marquette library has some neat stuff including original J.R.R. Tolkien manuscripts?!)
The Milwaukee library is also a great place to explore (did you know they have a coffee shop that sells used books?).
If you don't have a library card, get one. They're free; you just need a utility bill to prove you live here.

If you like books, Downtown Books sells used books. It's an awesome place to explore (great place to take a date, in my opinion). They have lots of shelves, and a couple of cats.

The Milwaukee Public Market is fabulous. Lots of good food, drink, and art vendors. It's a fun place to walk around, get some produce and cheese/meat, and grab a bite to eat.

One of the museums I wish I had visited earlier is the Chudnow Museum of Yesteryear, about two blocks north of Marquette's campus. Did you know that boxing ice cream so you could take it home originated in Milwaukee?

Mmm, beer...

Old German Beer Hall. This one speaks for itself. They have free lunch on weekdays (with beer purchase) and an Octoberfest/Germanfest. They're right across from another great place, the Uber Tap Room and Cheese Bar. Yes, Milwaukee has a cheese bar.

I only got to Tornado Brewery once, but I would definitely go back. They have a beer that tastes line lemon meringue pie, and a habañero beer, among more "normal" types.

Stubby's has 53 beers on tap at their circular bar. Some of them are nitro taps.